Real World Behavioural Science

Paul Chadwick and Tiago Moutela

Welcome to the Real World Behavioural Science (RWBS) podcast, where we look at how behavioural and social sciences are being used in the real world.

We are thrilled to announce the relaunch of the BSPHN Real World Behavioural Science Podcast! After a hiatus, we are returning with fresh energy, a new hosting duo, and a mission to bring you the latest thinking in applied behavioural science.

The RWBS podcast is created by the Behavioural Science and Public Health Network (www.BSPHN.org.uk) and is aimed at people working in public health, academia and industry, who have an interest in how behavioural science is being used to improve health and wellbeing.

Each month, Dr Paul Chadwick (CEO of the BSPHN) and Dr Tiago Moutela (Associate Director at Claremont), interview professionals from the worlds of public health, academia and industry.

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46 episodes
Updated July 21

Episodes46

Newest first

Jan 6, 2021 · 1 hr 2 min
17. Adam Ferrier (Consumer Psychologist & Founder of Thinkerbell)
Send us Fan Mail The BSPHN's Annual Conference is running from 9th - 11th February 2021. Sign up to attend now and get a year's free membership. In this episide, Stu is joined by Adam Ferrier, Founder & Chief Thinker at Thinkerbell, an agency that practices measured magic - bridging marketing science and hard core creativity. Thinkerbell won AdNews' 2019 Creative Agency of the Year. Adam is also author of two books: "The Advertising Effect: How to Change Behaviour" & "Stop Listening to the Customer: Try Hearing Your Brand Instead". Adam shares how he was always interested in money and people which led him into the world of consumer psychology. His thesis was on what makes people 'cool' and spent time training in the clinical psychology model, but soon found that this alone didn't offer the most effective solutions. Adam and Stu discuss what makes effective behaviour change campaigns from across sectors; from the effort paradox in IKEA's furniture, to why weight loss control groups lose more weight than the experimental groups. They look at some of the public health campaigns that Adam has worked on in Australia: Man Up, a documentary on how men express themselves to broaden stereotypes; ABC Goes Mental As, a dedicated week of programming for Mental Health; Doing Nothing Does Harm, an online campaign giving people the option to stop sexist behaviour, which involved people in the campaign as well as mimicked the desired behaviour. The pair look at what public health can learn from marketing and advertising - creating a category of cause, understanding the irrationality of people's choices and the influence of reality TV. To illustrate this Adam and Stu give examples of Milgram's experiments, asking why you bought the shoes you're wearing, and how picking up dog poo makes you feel when you do, or don't, own a dog. They both also recommend Rory Sutherland's book "Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas That Don't Make Sense" as a starting point for anyone looking to understand and change behaviours. Adam also discusses the need to find a brand category, like the work of OMGyes which fills the niche of education around sexual pleasure. Adam leaves us with what he is looking at and working on in behavioural science at the moment: s p a c e - where ideas meet influence and DOA - a social cause agency working with business, brands, government and movements to have a positive impact on the world. Contact & more information: Adam: Twitter, LinkedIn Stu: Twitter, LinkedIn, Stu's blogs
Dec 17, 2020 · 42 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #9 (15th Dec) Conspiracy Theories - Prof Jim McManus & Dr Daniel Jolley
Send us Fan Mail Recorded 15th December 2020 Guests: Professor Jim McManus - Director of Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council and VP of the Association of Directors of Public Health. He is a Chartered Psychologist, British Psychological Society Fellow & Co-Founder and Chair of the Behavioural Science and Public Health Network. Dr Daniel Jolley - Snr Lecturer in Psychology at Northumbria University, Chartered Psychologist of the British Psychological Society & member of the Executive Committee of the Social Psychology Section. Daniel is a social psychologist with expertise in the psychology of conspiracy theories. Episode Description: In this coronavirus special, Stu talks with Jim and Dan about conspiracy theories - including what separates conspiratorial thinking from more simple questioning, and how as conspiracies become more familiar to us, they can also become more believable. They explore the history of conspiracies, how they are nothing new and often accompany significant cultural or political change. In doing so, Dan demonstrates how beliefs in conspiracies are linked with higher anxiety and feelings of threat. The group then go on to examine and tackle some conspiracies relating to COVID-19 and the vaccine: 5G and worsening COVID-19 symptoms Vaccines and side effects How could it have been developed so quickly? If it works why can't we stop social distancing? Vaccine contains nanoparticles Vaccine is being used for tracking We don’t know what’s in it The group also discuss how to bring people away from conspiracies, and how this starts with building back trust; having a genuine dialogue with compassion and establishing common ground. Additional resources: Go Viral! - game developed by University of Cambridge & UK Government. It gives a taste of the techniques and motivations behind the spread of coronavirus misinformation . NHS Why Vaccinations Are Important - how vaccines work, what they contain and the most common side effects. Contact: Dr Daniel Jolley: Website & Twitter Professor Jim McManus: LinkedIn Stu King: LinkedIn, Twitter & Stu's Blogs
Dec 10, 2020 · 37 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #8 (8th Dec) Behavioural Science to Increase Vaccine Uptake - Jim McManus, Wayne Bateman, Paul Chadwick
Send us Fan Mail Recorded 8th December 2020. Guests joining Stu King: Professor Jim McManus - Director of Public Health at Hertfordshire County Council & Vice President of the Association of Directors of Public Health. Wayne Bateman - Behavioural Science Specialist in the Behaviour Change Unit at Hertfordshire County Council. Dr Paul Chadwick - Associate Professor and Deputy Director Centre for Behaviour Change at University College London & Consultant Clinical and Health Psychologist. Episode covers the release of the rapid response paper: COVID-19 Vaccination: Reducing Vaccine Hesitancy - Review & Recommendations. This is an incredibly important paper that Hertfordshire County Council will share widely to support the use of behavioural science in creating messaging to maximise uptake of the vaccine in the general population by supporting professionals across the system. Click here for other Herts County Council COVD-19 Behavioural Sciences Resources. At the time of recording, the vaccine is being rolled out to the most vulnerable & most exposed, however these groups can also be the most likely to be hesitant to uptake the vaccine due to information and time limitations. Stu and guests discuss the content of the paper - research on increasing uptake methods, data on previous vaccinations in pandemics, barriers to uptake & surveys on current COVID vaccination hesitancy. It marries up barriers of complacency, confidence & convenience with behaviourally sound strategies to mitigate them. And provides easily digestible messages for Public Health teams to into quick action for local vaccine uptake. The trio explain how the paper applies the COM-B model to vaccination hesitancy and recommends the EAR strategy when applying to communities: Engaging, Acknowledging and Responding accordingly for each approach and audience. The document is expected to develop over time, with input from the SAGE committee, for example. Contacts: Stu King: @Stu_King_Hh, LinkedIn & Stu's Blogs Dr Paul Chadwick - @drpaulchadwick, LinkedIn, UCL Centre for Behavioural Change Wayne Bateman - LinkedIn Professor Jim McManus: @jimmcmanusph and on LinkedIn
Nov 20, 2020 · 1 hr 6 min
Chloe Franses (Founder of Franses) & Andrew Thomas (Digital Transformation Coach)
Send us Fan Mail Thanks to BSPHN for hosting this podcast. The BSPHN's annual conference is coming up on 9th-11th February 2021, and will showcase the efforts of behavioural science and public health towards COVID-19. Free for members, or the same price as an annual membership cost. This week Stu is joined by two PR and Marketing experts; Chloe Franses and Andrew Thomas. Chloe's experience extends from working as head of creative relationships at Amnesty International, to building authenticity for brands such as Formula E, and individuals such as Idris Elba. Andrew is a commercial marketer and works in transformation, helping individuals to thrive in the new digital economy. The three look at how marketing and PR has changed over time - the world that Saatchi & Saatchi were working in, the persuasion that was used, and how different the world is now with more transparency, and more competition for attention. They also discuss how the aims of PR has changed, from helping brands and organisations to 'not look bad' to showcasing how they create real social value not only for commercial profit for themselves, but to genuinely benefit the community. Using examples of the oil & gas and fashion industry and how audiences are more challenging of brands, and trends like 'green washing' led to the need to demonstrate better values. Chloe shares her experience of the power of celebrity endorsement and how it can tap into people's identities in a way that organisations cannot. Andrew expands on this notion of identity, driving brand loyalty throughout life. When looking at what healthcare can learn from marketing across industries, they explore that health messages are explained in a rational way even though people are often irrational in decisions around their health. They examine how this can be better aligned through simplicity, and a focus on who delivers the message. For example, the difficulty in undoing the glamourised imagery of smoking (even with the Suffragettes and torches of freedom) in order to encourage people to quit for their health. Contacts: Chloe Franses: Instagram, LinkedIn & website. Andrew Thomas: LinkedIn Stu King: Twitter, LinkedIn, Stu's Blogs
Nov 20, 2020 · 32 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #7 (19th November 2020) Long COVID - Nisreen Alwan & Susan Michie
Send us Fan Mail Recorded: 19th Nov 2020 Stu is joined by Dr Nisreen Alwan & Prof Susan Michie. Nisreen is Associate Professor in Public Health, University of Southampton. Susan is Director, UCL Centre for Behaviour Change & a committee member of Independent Sage. Nisreen shares her experience of long COVID, what it means and its effects. They look at how both those with long COVID and healthcare workers are affected - how the range of symptoms can be difficult to diagnose, causing anxiety. Plus, the challenge for patients of managing with such unpredictability. Nisreen and Susan discuss the evidence of who is at risk, including young people. And how the public messaging around COVID could do more to alert this group of the risks to their health & wellbeing. Nisreen shares the support available through healthcare and peer support. And Susan shares how indieSAGE will be discussing it in order to advise the government. For more on long COVID, see the list of resources below including guidance on recovery & insights for healthcare workers. Thanks to the BSPHN for hosting. Check out the membership to connect with professionals in public health & behavioural science. Contacts: Dr Nisreen Alwan:@Dr2NisreenAlwan, N.A.Alwan@soton.ac.uk Professor Susan Michie:@SusanMichie, S.michie@ucl.ac.uk Stu King:@Stu_King_Hh, LinkedIn Profile, Stu's Blogs Additional Resources: Nature: A negative COVID-19 test does not mean recovery The Lancet: Underestimating the burden BMJ: What is mild covid-19? Wellcome: Why the Term 'Long Covid' is needed BMJ: From doctors as patients RCGP: Written evidence Royal Society Report NIHR: Living with Covid19 NHS: recovery guidance The Guardian: lingering heart damage JAMA: Long-term Health Consequences BJGP: Finding the 'right' GP
Nov 14, 2020 · 1 hr 9 min
Professor Ivo Vlaev (Warwick Business School)
Send us Fan Mail Professor Ivo Vlaev is Professor of Behaviour Science at Warwick Business School, Warwick University. He began his career working in the lab on understanding why people make irrational choices, observing reactions and what part of brain lights ups. He is currently working on an integrated theory of behaviour change taking into account psychology, neuroscience, economics and other social sciences. Ivo is also the co-author of the MINDSPACE report used by the UK government to design policy using insights from behavioural science and nudge theory, and was the basis for establishing the Behaviour Insights team. Ivo speaks to Stu about his integrated theory of behaviour change, and how it's aim is to create a taxonomy of taxonomies for consistent and comprehensive language to reduce confusion and better evaluate interventions from health to finance decisions. They discuss how traditional interventions are based on information and education, as well as focussing on targeting one particular kind of motivation. And how the worst examples can use the 'it sounded like a good idea at the time approach'. Although these can have good outcomes, they lead to a more piecemeal approach. Ivo suggests that the best cases use comprehensive theory and good methodology, for example in financial decisions, where an intervention targeted identity and the framing of people's actions in order to motivate a change in behaviour. You can find out more about Ivo's work and behaviour change in policy at: Warwick Business School website UCL Centre for Behaviour Change The Behavioural Insights Team
Nov 3, 2020 · 32 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #6 (3rd November 2020) Lockdown 2.0 How did we get here and what happens next? - Prof. Susan Michie
Send us Fan Mail Recorded 3rd November 2020 RWBS welcomes back Professor Susan Michie in the run up to another national lockdown. Stu and Susan discuss what has led us to this point, including the flaws with the current test, trace and isolate processes and the low adherence to isolating. From a behavioural point of view they discuss the reasons behind this low isolation adherence and why this differs between countries. Exploring the coined term ‘behavioural fatigue’, Susan shares her thoughts on why fewer people are following the rules as strictly compared to the start of the first lockdown, from trust, to time of year. They also look at the most affected groups - younger people due to the impact on their social networks, jobs and stability; as well as groups who already faced inequalities before the pandemic hit. On a positive note, there may be scientific, social and personal learnings from the last lockdown that means both coping with, and the outcomes of, a lockdown now give us hope for a more connected festive period. The episode references Independent SAGE - a group of scientists working to provide independent scientific advice to the UK government and public on how to minimise deaths and support Britain’s recovery from COVID-19. Follow and learn more on their website, Youtube channel and Twitter. Follow Stu King on Twitter, LinkedIn and through his BeeZee Bodies blogs to hear more about using translating behavioural science into reality.
Jun 17, 2020 · 1 hr 8 min
Introducing the Behaviour Change Development Framework (BCDF) - with Em Rahmen, Aoife Fortescue-Webb and Ashlee Mulimba
Send us Fan Mail Recorded October 2019 Firstly, apologies that this month's podcast is a little delayed! We at BeeZee Bodies are still working double time to support people to be healthy throughout this period. For this podcast I am joined by: Em Rahmen, Head of Public Health Workforce Development at Health Education England, Aoife Fortescue-Webb, Public Health Registrar at NHS West Midlands, Ashlee Mulimba, Health Psychologist at Healthy Dialogues Ltd. All three have been working on the Behaviour Change Development Framework (BCDF). It is a tool designed to determine the level of behaviour change training needed for each sector and level of Public Health practitioner, informed by, and appropriate to, the user. For more information on it, check out the video, "What is the BCDF?" https://vimeo.com/358296164 We discussed the background to the framework, how it has been developed as user-need focussed, and how they see it creating a more consistent behaviour change offering across all of Public Health. We discussed some scenarios of how it might supporting different job roles, from receptionists, police men and stop smoking practitioners. The assessment only takes about 2-3 mins to complete and breaks down what level of training might be appropriate, such as: Universal training (recommended for anyone in a Public Health setting) is a 1-hour e-learning toolkit to understand terminology & communication skills: https://behaviourchange.hee.nhs.uk/bcl-e-learning/workforce Behaviour Change (BC) Level 1 BC Level 2 BC Level 3 The full assessment and toolkits can be found at https://behaviourchange.hee.nhs.uk/ Just as a reminder we are recording this on behalf of the BSPHN, who exist to spread word about the importance and usefulness of behavioural science in public health. You can join for just £25 if you are working or £10 if you aren’t working or are a student so get yourself onto www.BSPHN.org.uk and join... why not do it literally right now? Go on!
May 1, 2020 · 1 hr
Aline Holzwarth (Applied Behavioural Scientist at Pattern Health & Principal of the Center for Advanced Hindsight at Duke University)
Send us Fan Mail This episode is recorded in the midst of the Coronavirus lockdown and features Aline Holzwarth. Aline is an applied behavioural scientist, specialising in digital health research and scientifically informed product design. Her training in psychology and business, and her experience working in research and healthcare have given her the interdisciplinary lens necessary to appreciate the complexity of decision-making in the real world. We discuss Aline's journey to Dan Ariely's research lab, where she works with illustrators, policy makers, and scientists to test behavioural research's validity in the real world. We look at the impact of the Coronavirus and lockdown, such as breaking down (sometimes decades worth of) barriers in healthcare and the longevity of the flip from in-person to digital interventions. Aline also shares some of her favourite examples of behaviour change in health, such as a simple change on a form leading to a huge saving. To connect and learn from people working in behaviour change across academia, industry and public health do think about joining the BSPHN. You can join for £25 if you are working and £10 if not including if you are a student, so there is no good excuse not to join!
Apr 14, 2020 · 38 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #5 (14th April 2020) Extended lockdown; Helping adherence and Longer-term lessons - Prof. Susan Michie & Prof. Jim McManus
Send us Fan Mail Recorded on 14th April 2020 Apologies for the lower sound quality, we wanted to make sure we had both Jim and Susan on podcast as it gives richer content, however it did mean some technical difficulties. This episode comes out just as the lockdown has been extended for a further 3 weeks. In this episode we discuss what this further period of isolation and distancing means for the population. The potential for, and also ways to tackle, increases in loneliness, tension, and declining adherence, but why it is not appropriate to use the catch all phrase of 'behavioural fatigue' which has often been used. We also celebrated what the population has achieved - the work from frontline key workers, and that around 98% of the population has been adhering to the measures from the government, despite media coverage. With these measures we discussed the behavioural elements behind them - mist-interpreting people's reasons for doing things like going to parks or buying non-essential items. Susan and Jim described how the government could tweak simple messaging or actions to do a better job of explaining why these are being put in place in order to help people follow the guidelines. We finished by discussing the potential longer term impacts of this period such as demonstrating who is essential in our society, and reassessing how we live on a 'just in time' principle. In this episode Susan mentions 2 papers that discuss scientific understanding of isolation and impacts of current measures, here is a list of those, and other current evidence being used to advise the government: a. Webster RK, Brooks SK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, Rubin GJ. How to improve adherence with quarantine: Rapid review of the evidence. Public Health (under review) Brooks SK, Smith LE, Webster RK, Weston D, Woodland L, Hall I, Rubin GJ. The impact of unplanned school closure on children’s social contact: Rapid evidence review. Eurosurveillance (under review) Brooks SK, Webster RK, Smith LE, Woodland L, Wessely S, Greenberg N, Rubin GJ. The psychological impact of quarantine and how to reduce it: Rapid review of the evidence. Lancet 2020, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30460-8 Rubin GJ, Wessely S. The psychological effects of quarantining a city. BMJ 2020; 368. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m313 Michie S, Rubin GJ, Amlot R. Behavioural science must be at the heart of the public health response to covid -19, BMJ Opinion, February 28 2020. https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/02/28/behavioural-science-must-be-at-the-heart-of-the-public-health-response-to-covid-19/ Michie S, West R, Amlot R. Behavioural strategies for reducing covid-19 transmission in the general population. BMJ Opinion, March 3 2020. https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/03/03/behavioural-strategies-for-reducing-covid-19-transmission-in-the-general-population/ Smith L, Yardley L, Michie S, Rubin GJ. Should we wave goodbye to the handshake? BMJ Opinion, submitted https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/03/10/should-we-wave-goodbye-to-the-handshake/ International surveys and polls on coronavirus, including public risk perception and consumer behaviour https://bit.ly/2xodaSm
Apr 8, 2020 · 1 hr 5 min
Samuel Salzer (Behavioral Strategist)
Send us Fan Mail Samuel Salzer joins me, Stu King, for this month's RWBS podcast. Samuel Salzer is an experienced behavioural strategist specialising in the digital health space. His work involves applying insights from behavioural science and behavioural economics to build user-centered and habit-forming products and services. In our discussion we covered how Samuel entered the field to where he is now with consulting work and his newsletter Habit Weekly. It now has thousands of subscribers and goes out to over a hundred countries. Samuel shared some of the best work he has seen such as mental health apps created with behavioural experts and research that showed how long it actually takes to form a habit! He shared his use of behaviour science to change his own habits - such as understanding why his long streak of learning a language every day still wasn't sticking. Samuel suggests the best way to start using behavioural economics in your work without being overwhelmed by all the content out there. You can check out and sign up to Samual's Habit Weekly newsletter yourself - it has something for every level, from leaders in the field to those just starting out. Don't forget you can become a member of the BSPHN for just £25 or £10 if a student for lots of benefits and access to content.
Mar 27, 2020 · 44 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #4 (26th March 20) Staying Healthy on Lock-Down; The Governments response and Coming together - Prof. Susan Michie & Prof. Jim McManus
Send us Fan Mail The fourth episode in this mini-series, recorded on 26th March 20, covers some big topics, including: Individual strategies to staying physically and mentally healthy during this challenging period of staying at home The governments response to date and what to expect in the future How we can come together as a society to care for each other and how this should continue after the immediate crisis is over. Stuart King, Professor Susan Michie and Professor Jim McManus discuss these issues in detail in this slightly longer episode than the previous ones. Unfortunately we lose Jim after just a couple of questions as he had technical difficulties as home. We are all dealing with small challenges like this as we adjust to home working, and in this case, remote recording. However, Jim still provides valuable insight in the beginning and Susan continues to provide valuable and interesting ideas for people; insight into the Government response to date and in the future; and some personal anecdotes that help contextualise how to use each moment and challenge as an opportunity to create healthy habits. Please send questions or comments to @stu_king_hh on twitter, add me on Linked In or email me at stuartking@beezeebodies.co.uk. If there are people you want to hear from or questions you want us to answer then let me know. Stay healthy; stay active; stay connected; but most of all - Stay Home!
Mar 17, 2020 · 19 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #3 Self-Isolation - Prof. Susan Michie & Prof. Jim McManus
Send us Fan Mail The third episode in the coronavirus mini-series deals with the difficulties and realities of self-isolation. Stuart King, Professor Susan Michie and Professor Jim McManus discuss the behavioural reasons behind panic buying and other crowd behaviours, the need to sensibly and realistically plan for isolation, including preparing for how we might feel and react. Isolation is a time when we need to think about both our mental and physical health, but also that of others. They explore what people can do to create strategies to help keep in good health and look after others who are vulnerable. The conversation also touches upon the impact of isolation on income, here is a link to Money Saving Expert article on financial support.
Mar 11, 2020 · 21 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #2 - Prof. Susan Michie & Prof. Jim McManus
Send us Fan Mail Recorded 11th March 2020 Jim McManus and Susan Michie join host, Stuart King, for another discussion on using behavioural science to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Susan and Jim cover the importance of not just hand washing, but using tissues and cleaning surfaces as the virus is spread not just through physical contact, but through the air too. The discussion also covers the impact of giving feedback to others to reinforce those preventative behaviours, as well as how we need to have a population mindset. Although you might not be at risk, you may be in contact with those who are. What can we do to protect those vulnerable people directly, and prevent over-stretching of the health services. Mini-Series #3 has been recorded and will be released next week so stay tuned for more practical, evidence-based advice. Susan Michie's BMJ article on avoiding shaking hands: https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/03/10/should-we-wave-goodbye-to-the-handshake/ Susan Michie's BMJ article on behavioural strategies to prevent spread: https://blogs.bmj.com/bmj/2020/03/03/behavioural-strategies-for-reducing-covid-19-transmission-in-the-general-population/
Mar 5, 2020 · 21 min
CORONAVIRUS Mini-Series #1 - Prof. Susan Michie & Prof. Jim McManus
Send us Fan Mail In this Real World Behavioural Science special, Susan, Jim and I discuss how behavioural science can be used to help prevent the spread of COVID19 (Coronavirus). Susan shares some of the insights from her recently published BMJ blog on using COM B to provide clear, effective and simple strategies to use to prevent the spread of infection. Jim provides some food for thought about using social psychology to try to slow the rate of transmission. If you are a professional (or anyone else for that matter!), this podcast contains some helpful tips that could save lives. Big thank you to Susan and Jim for their time in sharing some great ideas on using behavioural sciences to limit the potential impact of Coronavirus. Useful links: Hertfordshire CC's Coronavirus social norms campaign toolkit (launching Friday 6th March): http://bit.ly/2PPFtim Hertfordshire CC's Coronavirus FAQs: http://bit.ly/2TGlTq6 Prof Susan Michie's on behavioural science in the PH response: http://bit.ly/3ctIOxg Prof Susan Michie's on using COM-B to reduce transmission: http://bit.ly/3cDqba6
Mar 1, 2020 · 1 hr 4 min
Dr Tim Chadborn (Head of Behavioural Insights & Evaluation Lead at Public Health England)
Send us Fan Mail Dr Tim Chadborn is Head of Behavioural Insights and Evaluation Lead for Public Health England. He shares just a small amount of his 25 years of experience working in health, across the Department of Health, Health Protection Agency and on a partnership between the Ministry of Health and Botswana. We chatted through Tim's vast experience from his work on the Family Nurse Partnership (https://fnp.nhs.uk/) supporting pregnant teenage women to his work in Botswana on HIV. This led us to discuss the diversity in paths that have led people to work in Behavioural Insights and how this allows them to work in a multidisciplinary capacity, across behavioural economics, sociology, health psychology, research and more. Tim shared some of the recent and current behaviour insights projects, such the marrying of large complex systems approaches and individual behavioural science, and the digital work on diet and obesity support and health checks e.g. letters, texts, videos in wait rooms and I.T. prompts. Finally Tim shared some ideas on how to get into behavioural science, including some of the latest strategies and guides to come out, such as the Behavioural and Social Science Strategy (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-peoples-health-applying-behavioural-and-social-sciences). Also, PHE have just released another guide for local government called Achieving Behaviour Change available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/behaviour-change-guide-for-local-government-and-partners. Thanks for listening and please do share and leave feedback on the podcast!
Jan 29, 2020 · 57 min
Kim Roberts (Chief Executive at HENRY - Health, Exercise and Nutrition for the Really Young)
Send us Fan Mail Kim Roberts has been HENRY’s Chief Executive since 2012. Her background is in family support and early development, which has given her both a profound insight into the impact of children’s very early experiences and a passionate determination to make sure that parents and practitioners get the quality of support they need to provide children with the best start in life. Our discussion starts with Kim sharing why, and how, HENRY is so important in preventing childhood obesity, rather than just tackling it. We talk through her experiences of working with families who have many struggles other than just health and lifestyle, and how helping parents with these realities is an important first step. Kim shares her views on where behavioural science is at in the industry, and how to ensure that professionals have not only the right skills, but also the right support, to deliver behaviour change in the most effective way. It's the last couple of weeks to sign up to the Behavioural Science Public Health Network Annual Conference on 12th February, which includes the latest strategy in behaviour science and how to make an impact in the industry. Tickets here: https://www.bsphn.org.uk/428/Annual-Conference-2020
Jan 13, 2020 · 56 min
Professor Wendy Wills (Professor of Food and Public Health at University of Hertfordshire)
Send us Fan Mail Professor Wendy Wills is the Professor of Food and Public Health and Director of the Centre for Research in Public Health and Community Care at the School of Health and Social Work at the University of Hertfordshire. She works at the interface of social sciences and public health across food and eating practices, food safety, malnutrition, weight and obesity and health inequalities. Our conversation covers some real world examples of putting research into practice. We discuss Wendy's passion for using emergent ways of working, such as a whole systems approach, due to the importance of understanding the real complexities (and messiness!) of peoples lives. This work is often laborious, and we talk about how it can require a lot of bravery to take on. She uses examples of her work understanding food shopping, and how giving a space for young people to explore how they felt in their local area helped to better understand the influences on their health behaviours. You can read more on her UH portal page: http://researchprofiles.herts.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/wendy-wills(4a9fafa2-1abf-49c3-a84c-4d5b47ffb3e7).html The BSPHN Annual Conference is on the 12th February and there are still tickets available: https://www.bsphn.org.uk/428/Annual-Conference-2020 Now we are back in the swing of the new year you can expect the next Podcast with Kim Roberts, Chief Executive of HENRY, up in the first week of February.
Dec 20, 2019 · 54 min
Professor Mike Kelly, Part 2 (Institute of Public Health & University of Cambridge and ex-Director of NICE)
Send us Fan Mail This is the second instalment of the 2-part Christmas Special with Professor Mike Kelly. If you haven’t listened to part 1, why not do them in order! In part 1 of our discussion we covered Mike's own experience working in public health across a huge range of research topics from the prevention of non-communicable disease to end of life care, all of which have close links to behaviour change and other social matters. In part 2 we discuss the application of behaviour change theories in the real world. Mike speaks about creating NICE guidance and how evidence is, sometimes incorrectly, used when creating interventions. We also cover the issue of inequalities and how he personally uses behavioural science in his everyday life. Enjoy the show and whilst listening, why not go to the BSPHN.org.uk to book your place at the 2020 Annual conference, taking place on 12th February? Finally, we at the BSPHN hope you have an amazing Christmas 🎄and New Year 📅
Dec 17, 2019 · 1 hr 1 min
Professor Mike Kelly, Part 1 (Institute of Public Health & University of Cambridge and ex-Director or NICE)
Send us Fan Mail This Christmas Special (Part 1) features Professor Mike Kelly, who is Senior Visiting Fellow in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the Institute of Public Health and a member of St John's College at the University of Cambridge. Mike is the Ex Director of NICE, where he spent over 10 years leading the organisation to support people working in the public health industry to use evidence-based methodologies. In part one of our discussion we cover Mike's experience working in public health across a huge range of research topics from the prevention of non-communicable disease to end of life care, all of which have close links to behaviour change and other social matters. Through his work at NICE he came across some criticism for being part of a 'nanny state' and trying to do more than simply advise people on how to live healthily. Mike takes us through how science and advice can face stumbling blocks when being recommended to local authorities and even individuals, as well as how the approach to public health has moved from a macro or social scale (environment) to a much more micro scale (individual medications etc), and how this might well be shifting back to a realisation that 'we are the way we live'. Finally, Mike discusses the problems we face translating ideas and languages between sociology, biology and behavioural science, and how we then implement those ideas. Part two will be out Friday 20th December as a Christmas treat, and will unpick Mike's applications of behavioural science, including nudge theory and choice architecture.